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Tuesday, December 16, 2014

#Sponsored #MC What's Your #RedKettleReason?

Disclosure: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Influence Central for The Salvation Army. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

#DoingTheMostGood

As a little girl, every holiday season, my mother would carefully take a couple of dollars out of her purse, a purse that had a little two-ball closure on top that snapped. I knew when she pulled me to the side, and undid that purse snap, that we were going to donate to the Salvation Army Red Kettle, or the 'bell ringers' (those manning the kettle) as I called them when I was a child.

The bell ringing made me feel happy, and Christmas-y. After all, Santa's reindeer had those bells, right? She would fold those bills carefully and put them in my little hand. I can still remember the feel of her transferring those bills into my gloved hand (and in Ohio, in December, outside...hands were always gloved). Even though I only had a few steps to go from her to the kettle, I remember how I kept looking down at my hand to ensure I didn't drop those bills. To me, it was a big deal. Then I would drop the money in, it would all be over, and we'd be on our merry way in seconds...the 'bell ringer' instantly all but forgotten.

What I didn't know as a child, is that those donations were being given to help others who really needed it during the holiday season. As I grew older, and developed a heart for giving, those donations took on a deeper meaning. I realized there were people behind the scenes that we would never meet or talk to, but who needed the helping hand of a stranger.

Today, I've passed the tradition of giving on to my own children. While I don't have a double ball-snap purse, and the kettle at the store pictured above was inside (hurrah for staying out of the elements!), it's still a big deal to my youngest to drop money in the kettle. I wonder if the clanging bell makes him feel holiday-y and festive like it did for me? I bet it does. And since the Salvation Army has been around since 1865, there's a very good chance, he will someday be taking his child/ren up to the kettle as well. That's fine by me. I think it's a tradition well worth keeping around. Don't you?

The Salvation Army Doing the Most Good

The Salvation Army began in London, and twenty years later made its way to the United States. So for 150 years internationally, and 130 years local-to-me, the Salvation Army has been giving people a hand-up. Whether that hand-up takes place in the form of gifts, paid utilities, a hot meal or countless other ways, the altruistic nature of their assistance certainly deserves to be lauded.

Just a Few of Many Ways the Salvation Army is Helping

• In 2013, The Salvation Army’s 3,600 officers, 59,000
employees and 3.4 million volunteers served nearly 30 million Americans in need. That’s almost one
person, every second, every day.

• The Salvation Army’s faith-based mission calls it to meet
human needs in His name without discrimination, regardless of gender, race, sexual
orientation, physical disability, age, creed or religion.

• The Army has nearly 7,600 centers of operation covering
nearly every zip code in the country.

• We also have a worldwide presence, providing assistance to
people in more than 120 countries and territories around the world. The Salvation Army serves millions of people through dozens
of services directly targeting the needs of local communities – from homelessness to disaster relief
to substance abuse rehabilitation.

• Through the public’s generosity in 2013, in the United
States alone:

o The Salvation Army served more than 58 million meals to
the needy.

o 204,000 people received rehabilitation services through
donations to Family Stores.

o Over 203,000 underprivileged children attended day care
and summer day camps.

o The Army provided nearly 10 million nights of shelter.

o 324,000 people received help during times of disaster.

o More than 4 million families and children were served
during the holidays.

o More than 1.8 million people received help through senior,
medical and institutional services.

That's just a small list of the ways the Salvation Army has helped, does help, & will continue to help those in need. It gives you even more reason to want to drop a few dollars in the red kettle when you're passing by, doesn't it?

Note: One-third of online donations occur during the last two days of the year. Donors can benefit when it comes to their taxes if they donate to a charity and receive the proper documentation before January 1.

#RedKettleReason Campaign

The Salvation Army’s 124th National Red Kettle campaign is encouraging Americans to share their reasons for giving using the #RedKettleReason hashtag. Donors who post using #RedKettleReason can view their posts and others on RedKettleReason.org and learn why the rest of America is giving. Visit RED KETTLE REASON to learn more!

I distinctly remember those red kettles and the bell ringers from when I was a child. For some reason this year I haven't seen as many of them around-But whenever I do I always drop something in there. There are so many who need help and the Salvation Army has always been there for them for as long as I can remember.

I contribute to the 'Sallies' over here as well. A tradition started by my mother. She was buried under her home after it was bombed in the last war and said that the Salvation Army were the first people she saw when she was finally (three days later) dragged out.

Salvation army is putting people to work. I used to attend their auctions where they would employ those who have been caught up in drugs and needed a helping hand.

Though what is interesting today is that the original founder started the organization as a way to reach out to those people who needed "salvation" He had a vision of a ship going down, and people dying in the ocean. Some were saved, and watching from onshore. His vision then showed people having tea on the beach, and watching these people drown, and they didn't get up and weren't affected by it. Meaning his vision showed people going to hell, which sparked this idea of selling things to fund a Christian ministry. Today, the company does a lot of good, but reaching out to the lost no longer is it's full time mission. We pray and support them, but really love what the company was founded upon.

We all should try to help others if we are able to. Sometimes I'm not able to make large donations to some of my favorite charities but we all have pocket change or loose bills {mad money} in our handbag to put in the red kettle. No reason other than it's what's right.

I always give each of my 4 kids some money to put in the kettle when we're at the stores and they love it. I appreciate their eagerness, and also knowing that the money is going to an amazing organization.

The Salvation Army helped my family through Christmas once when I was a girl. I remember every year thereafter, my mom would always insist on giving back to those red kettles. My girls get excited to see the bell ringers too. They love putting money in those Red Kettles!

This is so great! My boys still love to take their monies for donation ~ the problem I think people have is they (including me) don't carry cash anymore. We were at Walmart each day for the past week for something needed (unlucky me!) but each day we were able to contribute some <3

I never realized they were a faith based organization and reading other people's comments I didn't realize how much they actually help people. I will definitely start giving what I can now instead of avoiding the people with the bell. Thank you for the food for thought!